The art of drawing ‘False Equivalences’ feat. the Right
As promised in my previous story , I’m back with part-2 of the series — “The art of drawing false equivalences”. In this story, we would try to uncover the false equivalences/narratives used by right-wing and its supporters in India. Without further ado, let’s get straight to the points.
- Anti-BJP is not Anti-India : BJP(Bharatiya Janata Party) is a national (and nationalistic ) party in India, currently governing the country, and there is nothing wrong in following/supporting it. However, it is totally fine, if someone does not support it. Not supporting the BJP does not make anyone an Anti-National.
In 1974, a Congress sycophant, D.K. Barooah had proclaimed , “Indira is India,India is Indira”. This claim sounds so ridiculous. BJP, sadly, looks to be treading down a similar path. Remember, India is not a single-party polity, like China. You can’t expect people to owe their allegiance to a single party / a Supreme leader, and that is absolutely normal in a diverse country like India.
2. Misuse of sedition laws is not okay : Section 124-A is one of the most controversial sections of the Indian Penal Code(IPC). Just for the record, IPC was brought into force in 1860, during the British Rule. There were certain laws which were used as suppressive/oppressive tools by the British . Sedition Law was one of them . While it can be argued that sedition law is still necessary for the government to protect unity, integrity and sovereignty of the State, it becomes imperative that the terms and conditions of the law are made more clear and precise.
In its present form, the law is very vaguely-worded. This law is often invoked by the governments to curb the right to dissent.
Dissent or constructive criticism is the backbone of democracy.
An interesting point to note here is, that the OG Britain has itself abolished this law. When the citizens are under the threat of being charged with sedition for criticizing the government, it effectively violates their Right to Freedom (which itself is not absolute). This is not to say that the misuse of this law is exclusive to BJP, but the fact that people blindly support such misuse of the law, under the pretext of nationalism, is intimidating and concerning.
3. No, Police and Army cannot have legal impunity: Police brutality is (quite literally) a burning issue in the world, at present. There is no denying the fact that the police and the army serve a very crucial role in protecting the state from external and internal threats, and their work is, indeed, praiseworthy. However, they are humans, too, and “to err is human”. They, too, are prone to commit mistakes, and it is only fair that they are held accountable for their actions.
A case against police brutality : A very simple way to understand why police brutality is wrong, is to ask yourself this question — “ What if that happened with me ?”. Empathy is the key. State-backed violence is worse than other forms of violence , and here’s why.
To quote an old Bollywood song from the 70s :
Chingaari koi bhadke , to saavan usse bujhaaye . Saavan jo agan lagaaye, usse kaun bujhaaye . (Translation: Rains can extinguish the fire sparks, but what if rains themselves spark the fire ?)
This analogy might sound far-fetched, but here’s why it holds — When someone is wronged, he/she may approach the state for the redressal of his/her grievance. But who would he/she approach, if the state itself wrongs him/her ? In such cases, the wronged individuals tend to go against the state, and this effectively gives rise to many militants/rebels. This phenomena was observed in Punjab in the late 80s , present-day Kashmir, and can be seen as one of the factors which promoted Naxalism . This is not to say that these activities are/were justified, but these can serve as a good reminder about why violence by the State is harmful for the State itself.
Of course, if the army/police is up against armed militants who are attacking it, it can exercise violence in self-defense. But ensuring that no innocent is harmed, is of utmost importance. Most of the civilized countries follow the Blackstone’s formulation —
“It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer”
The reasons behind this formulation have already been explained. India was established on the ideals of being a ‘welfare state’, and should not be converted into a ‘Police state’.
4. If someone explains the other side of a problem, it does not make them ‘Urban Naxals’ : Talking of secession from the country definitely goes against the state, and does not even fall under ‘Freedom of Expression’. However, to understand an issue, it is better to understand all facets of it, including the point-of-view of the “trouble-making” side. In the media depiction, things are usually depicted in a ‘Black-and-White’ (this phrase itself has racist connotations, if you think) manner . In such a scenario, if someone tries to bring forth the other side of the matter, that does not necessarily mean that he/she stands for that cause.
For example, if someone brings out how Naxalism started, or the plight of those people, who are trapped into it, it doesn’t mean that he/she believes that the Naxals are doing a great job. (S)He can simply mean that both sides are at fault, and that there is a need for reconciliation of both the sides. While it can be agreed that selective outrage is wrong, someone’s voice should not be shut down simply because their agenda doesn’t match yours.
Similarly, if someone talks about the futility of war, it doesn’t make them pro-Pakistan. In essence, personal attacks are NOT OK.
5. You don’t need to defend government’s actions, just because you voted for them : Government is a service-provider, and we are the customers. We might have opted for a certain service-provider, but it doesn’t mean that we have to defend it in every way possible. It becomes even more imperative to point out the flaws to the customer-care, in order to get a better service. You get the point, right ? You don’t have to be a leftist in order to criticize the government.
It is true that condemning the government with half-knowledge is dangerous, and can lead to public disorder (like the anti-CAA protests), but at the same time, mindless allegiance to the ruling party, too, is destructive for a democracy. Do not let your cognitive dissonance kick in.
6. Two wrongs do not make a right: Things go wrong at times. It is pragmatic to correct those wrongs , rather than indulging in whataboutery. If something is wrong, it is wrong. Some past wrongs don’t justify a wrong in the present. The best way out can be to address the past wrong, too, if possible. But denying a wrong just because something wrong had happened previously on the other side, also makes you complicit.
7. Due process of Law has to be followed: Judicial system cannot be by-passed: Let’s put it in simple words — Police has the duty to protect law and order. It has the responsibility to arrest the suspected criminals, and to present them before the courts for the judicial process. The police CANNOT assume the role of judiciary. It’s true that India’s judicial system takes time, and there is a need for fast-tracking the judicial system. However, by-passing it is not the solution. One of the reasons behind this delay , besides the large number of cases,is to ensure Blackstone’s formulation. We need to realize that some people can get wrongly framed, too, and it is important that they are not convicted hurriedly. Misuse of laws like MISA(during emergency) and UAPA must be condemned. Fake encounters by the police, no matter what the crime committed by the accused is, are wrong.Again, empathy is the key.
Final Thoughts
The bottom-line is, that dissent is important in democracy. Of course, peddling misinformation is offensive and can disrupt public order,but a well-thought and well-directed criticism is essential for a democracy’s survival. The sad part is , that India currently does not have a strong opposition party. In such a situation, people have to take the lead. Taking partisan stands would not benefit anyone. Standing up against something grossly wrong, is the need of the hour, irrespective of your political affiliations. Again, these points are not specific to the right-wing, but since BJP is in power presently, these points currently go against it. I hope that these points (both here and in the previous article), if pondered over, can lead to a better,improved quality of discussions and debates.
Thank You!